“I’m curious about the lady’s thoughts.”

Fortunately or unfortunately, the only one who overheard Michael’s murmur was Benjamin. Benjamin momentarily grimaced at the voice full of interest.

Then he rolled his eyes to observe his brothers.

Arthur looked troubled. And Caleb looked somehow displeased.

Benjamin didn’t bother to cast his gaze towards the ladies’ seats beyond. It was a position where Hyacinth’s expression wasn’t clearly visible anyway.

The surroundings began to chatter merrily.

“Soon the Lady of the Jousting Tournament will be decided.”

“Oh, oh. Who will the Duke dedicate it to?”

“Indeed. Has Trisel shown interest in any lady?”

Arthur ruffled his hair irritably, and Caleb started shaking one leg. Benjamin silently pressed down on his youngest brother’s knee to stop him.

“Would Lady Laurel be a safe choice?”

“To avoid unnecessary scandals, yes, probably.”

“The Duke hasn’t shown interest in a betrothal yet…”

“So, it would be Lady Laurel.”

Michael still sat with a fresh smile. Benjamin tried to gauge which of the three, his two brothers or Michael, was the most insane.

“No. Everyone is forgetting, but Lady Laurel now has a betrothal partner…”

“Ah, right.”

“We forgot.”

It was only proper to avoid a lady with a lover or fiancé. That was both morality and law.

Benjamin momentarily squinted his eyes.

Below, a servant was bringing a gold tiara to the Duke on horseback. A moment of tension, curiosity, and anxiety overlapped. The Duke picked up the tiara with the tip of his lance.

“What!”

“Oh my…”

“Is he crazy?”

“Haha!”

Someone let out a hollow laugh, and another shook their head as if in disbelief. Michael’s burst of laughter. Arthur’s mutter.

Various sounds settled into his ears one after another.

Benjamin rubbed his forehead as he looked down at the scene he had just witnessed.

The Duke placed the tiara on his own head. Then he quickly took it off and left with it.

He didn’t choose any lady.

He didn’t ruin any betrothal.

He only firmly expressed that the tiara was his.

“Is that bastard crazy?”

“Where did you learn such language?”

Benjamin gave his youngest brother a sharp smack on the back of his head.

* * *

The joust was over, so next was the banquet.

A grand feast to celebrate the knights who participated and shone in the joust. A place where everyone should play and enjoy without worries.

But this time, the atmosphere was strange.

It had to be. The winner was unconventional, and the Lady of the Jousting Tournament—because there was none—was uniquely absent. The large bets placed on both were now nullified, and even the main character of this banquet was showing only a familiar face, making the atmosphere awkward.

Fortunately, the Duke wasn’t wearing the tiara.

In Tyche, the only man officially allowed to wear a crown was the king. Considering that, he probably chose not to wear it. Politically, it was a wise choice. Regardless of the current atmosphere of this banquet.

Diane sipped her wine with an awkward smile.

“Oh… how heavy.”

Since the clothes she wore were thin, the heaviness must be from the air.

Hyacinth agreed with a suitable smile.

“Should we be grateful that His Highness the Duke graced this banquet with his presence?”

“He seems to dislike gatherings like this.”

“More than dislike… never mind. Forget it.”

Hyacinth smiled again.

This banquet, which also served as an after-party for the joust, begins with the winner and the lady’s dance. Many knights challenge the joust with the hope of holding the hand of the lady they admire.

But in this banquet, there was a winner but no lady. So what could they do? The banquet proceeded in a subtle state, as if it had begun but not really.

“By the way, you’re amazing too, Hyce. How did you guess? No one noticed.”

“Guess what?”

A voice suddenly intervened from behind. Startled by the sudden intrusion, Hyacinth and Diane simultaneously turned around. Prince Michael stood there with a burdensome smile, holding a cheese plate in one hand.

Before Diane could spill the details—her friend wasn’t that tactless, but just in case—Hyacinth answered.

“I just guessed the answer to a simple riddle.”

“Oh, what kind of riddle? I’m curious.”

“What color is the treasure chest beyond the rainbow, that riddle.”

Diane briefly raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything. Prince Michael pondered for a moment, tilting his head this way and that.

“Hmm, I’ve never thought about that. What color is it?”

“There isn’t one.”

Hyacinth replied indifferently.

“What?”

“There is no chest.”

“Hyce, you have no sense of wonder.”

Diane chided through her teeth as if she couldn’t hold back. Hyacinth shrugged nonchalantly, and the prince chuckled.

“You never know.”

He reached out and played with a strand of Hyacinth’s hair. Hyacinth flinched but didn’t brush it away, conscious of the watching eyes. After all, wasn’t it known to everyone in the court’s social circle that she and the prince were about to be engaged?

“Red, perhaps.”

“Oh my… How romantic, Your Highness. You’re a hundred times better than Hyce.”

Diane’s exclamation drew the attention of those around them.

Feeling the gazes of the gossipers, Hyacinth inwardly gave a bitter smile. Indeed. With no gossip about the ‘winner and the lady,’ they needed another topic.

She and Prince Michael made for a perfect target.

“Shall we have a dance, lady?”

“…With pleasure.”

People parted to the sides, creating a path to the center. It was clear what Tyche’s social circle craved.

Holding the hem of her bliaut with one hand and the prince’s hand with the other, Hyacinth walked to the center. Since no one else was dancing, they were the only ones.

Music began to flow.

Hyacinth stepped gracefully, accustomed to the steps. The prince, excellent in etiquette and social skills, was also proficient in dancing.

“Did you guess it was Duke Trisel?”

Amidst the sound of the flute, the prince whispered. Hyacinth replied coldly.

“We agreed not to speak of it again.”

“I can see why the lady fell for him.”

“Is it chivalrous to keep bringing up a topic a lady dislikes?”

“To be honest, lady, I’ve never thought of myself as a knight.”

“How boastful.”

His refreshing laughter was extremely annoying.

Hyacinth seriously considered stepping on the prince’s foot. After all, he knew her temperament well enough.

“Don’t step on me.”

“That makes me want to step on you even more, Your Highness.”

“The Duke is watching. You should act like a lady.”

Hyacinth was wise enough not to immediately turn towards Duke Trisel. Instead of looking at him, she glared at the prince.

“I’m serious.”

The prince nodded his head. In the direction his chin pointed, the Duke indeed sat. Hyacinth glanced sideways to catch sight of him.

It was true.

The silver-haired man was watching them.

At that moment, Hyacinth almost stumbled. The prince chuckled again and whispered.

“You’re transparently cute. I admit it. The Duke must be blind.”

“Don’t speak ill of him. You don’t like me either.”

“Am I supposed to like a woman who has her heart set on someone else?”

“Yet you’re marrying such a woman.”

“Well, love and marriage are separate.”

That’s right. Separate.

Hyacinth agreed while staring straight at the prince.

“I will be cautious. Please cooperate.”

“Alright. I also prefer a flawless wife.”

Really? That’s new. Hyacinth finished the dance with a sarcastic smile. As the prince slowly released her hand, applause erupted.

…Except for the Duke.

Ethan Erentis alone did not clap.

He just stared at her. Hyacinth glanced as naturally as possible, almost getting lost in the abyss of his gray eyes.

Her heart fluttered wildly, as if it would burst.

She wanted to look back. To see if he was still watching her. But she didn’t.

Hyacinth was realistic enough not to give meaning to mere fragments. She didn’t know why he acted that way, but she couldn’t distort reality.

The scales of her heart still tilted.

She, towards the ground. Into the mire.

That man alone, high and aloof.

* * *

That night at the banquet, a lady bravely asked the Duke for a dance.

It seemed the entire court’s social circle wished for her success. Except for Hyacinth.

And the Duke accepted.

The man who usually didn’t show any sociability… danced with another woman, no, other women.

Following the first courageous lady, other ladies also boldly asked him to dance. The Duke accepted without discrimination.

Hyacinth hesitated, but…

…she couldn’t bring herself to ask.

* * *

The painful days continued. The single thorny flower that secretly sprouted in the heart of the joust had become a colony, prickling with every breath.

One afternoon at a reading salon, Hyacinth thought she saw the Duke.

Such a foolish mistake. Knowing well that he wouldn’t attend such gatherings, it was a mirage created by her longing.

Fortunately, she still had some discernment left. Had she opened her mouth and foolishly said, ‘Duke?’ it would have been troublesome.

The anecdote of her being the only one to recognize the Duke during the joust seemed to have spread subtly.

Hyacinth endured her time at the salon with her mouth firmly shut.

* * *

Even at the picnic, that man did not appear.

This year’s joust winner. With his overwhelming skill and unconventional behavior, he couldn’t avoid people’s attention, but as always, he shunned people.

Arrogance. Most people agreed.

Yet, no one openly threw stones at Duke Trisel.

* * *